Young Love

by Alyson Santos

  “Yeah? I’ve found she’s pretty damn smart about most things,” he says.

  Karen titters and squeezes his arm at the hilarious non-joke. Jace politely steps back and wraps his arm around my shoulders instead.

  “Smells delicious, babe. I love when you cook.”

  “It’s rare these days,” Karen chirps from behind us.

  Jace tenses again, and I lace my fingers in his to calm him. I should have done a better job of warning him. Lesson learned.

  “Wow. You did all this?” He lets go to examine the candlelit spread I’d set out for our meal. Even busted out the fine china for its annual day of freedom from the dining room hutch.

  “Hope you’re hungry,” I say with a smile.

  He returns it. “I’m always hungry.”

  “Must be from working all of those hard muscles,” Karen teases. I swallow my snort and can’t look at Jace. I feel his reaction from across the room.

  He clears his throat. “So, Karen. How did you meet Sienna?”

  “College actually. I was the RA on her floor when she was a freshman.”

  “Oh yeah? That’s great that you’ve stayed in touch for so long.”

  “Ugh. No need to rub it in.” She belts out a laugh. God, she’s not even drunk yet.

  Jace tosses me a confused look, and I can’t blame him one bit.

  “College seems like a lifetime ago,” I explain.

  “We’re so old now, right Sienna?” She continues with the awkward self-deprecation.

  I cringe, close to pulling her aside. This is bad even for her. What’s her problem?

  “We’re not that old,” I mumble.

  “What about you, Jace? Bet you were quite the stud on your own campus.”

  He forces a fake smile. “No college for me. I’m in construction.”

  “Oh right! You’re working on Sienna’s house. She’s a lucky woman.” More eyelashes. More forced politeness from my boyfriend.

  Food. We need lots of it and fast. I escape to the kitchen to check on the lasagna.

  “Need help?” Jace asks, joining me.

  “Sure, can you grab the salad from the fridge? Also, the garlic bread’s on the counter.”

  “Garlic bread. Is that safe?” he whispers, and I blush.

  “Stop it.”

  He shrugs with a grin and follows my orders.

  I can’t understand why Karen’s still talking from the dining room. Her eyes have been glued to him since he arrived. She must’ve noticed he’d left the room.

  “That’s your best friend?” he says quietly, brow raised toward the muffled voice from the other room.

  “She’s… yeah. I don’t know what’s going on with her tonight.”

  “So she’s not always like that?”

  No. Wait. Is she?

  “Please, Jace? Just get through this one dinner. You’re doing great.”

  He smirks. “Me or my hard muscles?”

  “Stop!” I laugh, smacking his ass as he passes. We exchange a grin that sends my blood racing.

  “I will for you,” he says. “Just don’t leave me alone with her. She scares me.” The smile breaks over his lips again, and I shove him toward the dining room.

  As the evening wears on, Jace does a decent job of deflecting Karen’s often lame, sometimes offensive, banter. I feel badly for subjecting him to the abuse, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying his creative responses to decidedly uncreative flirting on Karen’s part.

  “So Jace, what else do you do besides fix old ladies’ houses?”

  “Well, we certainly do some work for the elderly, but every so often we get a project for a beautiful woman which makes up for it.” He winks at me, and my heart chokes on that last bite of bread.

  Karen pretends to laugh. “You two are so sweet together. But I meant, what do you do besides construction.”

  “I know.”

  “You look like an athlete. That’s why I asked.”

  “He is,” I say, knowing he won’t.

  “Excuse me.” He gets up, grabs a couple of empty dishes, and sends me a warning look on his way to the kitchen. Too late; I’m already committed to teasing him back.

  “He’s a Black Belt in Kyokushin Kai Karate actually.”

  My boast does its job, momentarily silencing her with a new flood of drool in her mouth.

  “Really. Huh.” She squints through the doorway to the kitchen as if he’ll magically appear in his karate gi. He doesn’t, and with one look at her face when he returns, he knows what I did. “Sienna was just telling me you’re a ninja,” she says.

  Resisting that eye roll looks painful for him. I worry for his ligaments. “Did she now?”

  “I’d love to see a demonstration. I just love ka-ra-tay.”

  He quirks a brow, no longer hiding his irritation. “Yeah? Now’s not really a great time. Why don’t you tell us about yourself instead?”

  Karen leans in, clearly missing the critique in favor of absorbing extra interest. “Oh, you know. I try to keep busy. Working out, going to Rosefire with friends.”

  “The club on 4th?”

  She beams. “You know it?”

  He shrugs. “Played there once.”

  “Oh, you’re a DJ?”

  “In a band.”

  Yes, grown adults can physically liquefy. I watch it happen in my dining room and internally huff at the mess I’ll have to clean up later.

  “Wow. You’re just full of all kinds of hidden talents, aren’t you?” She stabs a look at me. “I’m always trying to get this girl to go out with me, but she prefers baths and books. Maybe you’ll have more luck.”

  I force a smile through the obvious dig, and Jace reaches for my hand. “Nah, I like staying in too when I can. My schedule is crazy, so it’s nice to relax when I get the chance. Besides, then I don’t have to share her.”

  I know that was only a show for Karen, retribution for her continued posturing throughout the night, but the emotion squeezing my heart is real. Leave it to Jace to defend those he cares about no matter the circumstances. I thank him with a tight clasp on his fingers.

  Karen clears her throat, asks about dessert, and I’m more than eager to bring this disastrous night to a close.

  “That’s your best friend?” Jace repeats, once we’re finally alone.

  I curl up against him on the couch, scrolling through the TV menu. “Sorry about her. I don’t know what her problem was. She’s not always like that.”

  “But she’s sometimes like that?”

  I shrug, ready to move on. She was a nightmare for some reason, why let it ruin the rest of our night? Jace’s silence isn’t of a conciliatory nature, however, and I sigh.

  “Just say it,” I say.

  He adjusts so he’s facing me. “Okay, your friend is a catty, jealous snot.”

  I stare at him, shocked, before a laugh bursts out. “A snot?”

  He grins. “I was going to use a different word, but I didn’t want you to be mad at me.”

  I shake my head, still chuckling. “Look, I’ll give you that after tonight because she was over the top, but she’s not always so difficult. I don’t know why she was acting that way.”

  “You don’t?” He crosses his arms. “Because it’s pretty obvious to me.”

  “You’ve only met her once.”

  “Exactly.”

  “She clearly has a crush on you. Aiden would have picked up on that,” I say, crossing my arms right back.

  “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  Annoyed, I try to return to the TV, but he grabs the remote from my hand.

  “Sienna, you need a new friend.”

  My gaze narrows on him. “Excuse me?”

  “How can you not see she isn’t your friend?”

  “Of course she’s my friend!” I pull in a deep breath, not interested in a fight. “I told you, I get why you don’t have a great impression of her, but she’s stood by me all these years. If anything, she became even more s
upportive the worse things got with Joe.”

  “Yeah? Not surprised,” he mutters.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He leans forward, searches my eyes. “You want the truth? The real truth?”

  “I don’t really have a choice, do I?” I say, almost throwing my hand up.

  “You do, but here it is anyway. Your friend is just another can’t in your life. She’s a parasite who feeds off your pain to make herself feel better. You want to know why she was so awful tonight? Because you’re actually happy, Sienna.”

  Speechless, I can only stare as he shrugs and leans back with all the confidence in the world. Doesn’t even flinch or backtrack, just sits there waiting for me to agree. I fold my arms over my chest and lean against the opposite armrest. He’s wrong. Has to be. He met her once. One encounter can’t erase twenty years of friendship.

  “Hey, you can be pissed at me. I totally get it. I’d be pissed too if someone said that shit about someone I thought was a friend. Just do me one favor and watch your back okay? Promise me?”

  I infuse every ounce of strength into holding my glare. He deserves it. Jerk.

  His eyes though… and then, “Aww, don’t be mad at me, babe. What if I do some ka-ra-tay for you?”

  Yep, a legit snort-laugh escapes me as I leap across the couch for a takedown.

  Chapter 0 – 7 = -7

  “I know, Mom, but it’s just not a good time.”

  I tilt back in my desk chair and massage my forehead. The phone in my hand feels heavier than usual. Why did I have to answer?

  “Well, I already bought the tickets. You shouldn’t be alone in that big house. My flight gets in at 2:15 PM.”

  “Okay, but I’m telling you, the house is a mess. The contractors are working everywhere.”

  “Wait, you’re still going through with the renovations?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Sweetheart, that’s a big place for one person. Shouldn’t you be downsizing instead of renovating?”

  Ahhh! It’s none of your business. Instead: “I love this house and it’s mine from the settlement. Why wouldn’t I stay?”

  “It’s just so big.” I picture her brow knit together like it does when she knows better than I do. “What will you do with all of those rooms?” That will never have babies in them, she leaves out. “You like my cozy condo, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, for you.” I’m saved by the knock on the door as it creaks open.

  “Sienna?” Jace calls out.

  “Look, I have to go.”

  “It’s after nine. Where would you have to go?”

  “Mom!” I swallow the anger rising in my throat. “Fine, I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Goodbye.”

  I don’t know why it’s so hard to bring myself to tell Jace about Mom’s visit. It changes things maybe. Makes our situation more real than either of us is ready to admit. I’m officially dating a twenty-three-year-old?

  “Okay so this is the defensive stance.”

  It looks so easy when he does it.

  “Close. Move your back foot more to the left.”

  “Like this?”

  “Hmm… Yeah?” His smile. I want to punch him and kiss him at the same time.

  “I told you I can’t do this.”

  “Of course you can. You’re doing fine. Keep your hands up. You’re defending against bad guys, remember?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be terrified when I move my back foot more to the left.”

  He laughs.

  Plus, he’s so hot standing there in his black uniform pants and no shirt. Focus? Is he insane?

  “Hello? You listening?” he asks, snapping me back to attention.

  “Left foot. Got it.”

  He shakes his head. “You’re the one who wanted a private lesson. You could learn this from Sensei Alex just as easily.”

  “I’m going to guess that Sensei Alex is fully dressed when he instructs?”

  “Hey, it’s not my fault you keep your house at sauna level.”

  “Oh so your distracting hotness is my fault now?”

  His teasing grin is brutal as he closes the gap between us. My own flimsy workout clothes don’t block the heat of his skin when he locks his arms behind my back and shoves our hips together.

  “Is this another move?” I ask, gazing up into those dangerous eyes.

  “Maybe. Try to get out of it.”

  “Never,” I whisper, pulling his lips to mine. Our kiss grows more aggressive, and I already have him naked on my couch in my head. Who am I kidding? He’s always that way in my head. Why does he have to be so damn perfect?

  I groan and pull back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” I smile and trace my nail over his chin. “Just…”

  “Uh-oh.” He leans back, and the air between us is painfully cold. Too cold. A shiver runs through me, and I wrap my arms around his waist to pull him tight again.

  “It’s just....” I draw in a deep breath. You’re a responsible adult, Sienna Porter. Act like it. I look up into the eyes I can’t bear to lose. “What are we doing, Jace?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I like you. Really like you, and I don’t know if I can handle casual with you.”

  A half-smile lifts the right side of his mouth. “Wait, are you breaking up with me or saying you want to make this something more serious?”

  “I think I’m saying I need one or the other. I’m…” Falling hard for something I shouldn’t have.

  Relief mixes with a stab of anxiety when he leans in for another long kiss. “So what are you looking for? A promise necklace or something?”

  I laugh and shove him playfully. “No of course not.”

  “But…?”

  What if I fall in love with you?

  What if you’re everything I think you are?

  What happens when reality wakes us up?

  “Hmm. Not a huge fan of the look on your face right now,” he says, tone serious again.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize, just tell me what’s going on.”

  “My mom’s coming into town tomorrow.”

  “Ah. I see.” A muscle moves in his jaw. “And you don’t want her to know about your dirty little secret.”

  “What? No!” I take his face in my hands. “The opposite. I just want to understand what we are in case…”

  “…I meet her?” he finishes for me.

  “Do you want to?”

  “I don’t know. Is she as cute as you?”

  I snort a laugh, and relax when his lips break into a grin. “Considering she could be your grandmother, I’ll say no.” The pressure grows inside me, and I look away. “She’s… difficult though. I don’t want her to hurt you.”

  “Like she does you?”

  My gaze snaps to his. The compassion in his eyes, the understanding; how do I keep underestimating him?

  He shrugs. “Someone taught you the word can’t.”

  “Yes, and I don’t want that for you.”

  “I can handle tough parents.”

  “I know.”

  He kisses me again. “Bring on Mom Porter. Your boyfriend wants to meet her.”

  The part I left out when telling Jace about my mom? He might have to meet her sooner than he thought. I drive as slowly as possible on the way home from the airport. So slowly, even my road-hazard mother questions the safety of my pace. When I spot the work truck still parked outside my house, my brain runs a frantic search for an excuse to turn around.

  “I swear, Sienna. You’re going to cause an accident if you go any slower.”

  “Lots of kids in the neighborhood,” I mutter. There are.

  “Well.” She crosses her arms, and I finally hit the gas enough to get us home. “Workers are here?” she asks. Yep, there’s that signature brow. “Oh right. Your renovations.”

  “I warned you they were still going on. In fact, you’ll have to stay on the pull-out cou
ch for now. The guest room won’t be finished for another day or two.”

  Her face scrunches into that look I’ve only had to imagine since she moved several states away. “Maybe I should just stay in a hotel.”

  I try not to roll my eyes. “Of course not, Mom. I’d give you my room, but it’s on the third floor and I know you don’t like stairs.”

  “Who puts the master bedroom in an attic anyway?”

  This conversation was old three years ago.

  “I’ll get your stuff from the trunk.”

  I grab the two smaller bags and follow my mother to the house. She lets herself in, nose already turned up by the time I join her.

  “Smells so dusty in here.”

  “It’s an old house.”

  “Still.”

  I watch her gaze inspect every inch of the foyer, my office, the living room—any corner or crevice she can see from her self-appointed pedestal.

  “Here. You can take your bags into the den. I’ll go grab the last suitcase,” I say.

  Did she hear me?

  I follow her attention up the stairs and suck in a breath. Crap. Well, at least we can get this over with early.

  “Jace, Louis, this is my mother Ramona. Mom, these are the contractors working on my house.”

  I can’t read Mom’s face as she evaluates, and her sudden fake appreciation doesn’t improve the situation for me. “Perfect timing, young man,” she says to Jace. “My suitcase is still in the car, if you don’t mind.”

  Fire rushes to my cheeks. “Mom! That’s not his job,” I mutter. “Sorry,” I say to Jace.

  He forces a smile. “No problem, Mrs. Porter. Happy to help.” He holds my gaze as he passes, warning me against a scene. I swallow the remaining protests.

  “So Louis.” My mother’s expression turns crafty. Even more disturbing. “Sienna tells me you’re renovating her house.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he says.

  “Sienna’s a lucky woman to have a handsome man like you under her roof all day.”

  “Mom!”

  Louis laughs and waves off the compliment. “Well as long as she’s happy with our work.”

  “I’m sure she is. My daughter is single now, you know.”

  “Mother!” Mortified, I step between them. “I’m so sorry,” I say to Louis. He only chuckles again.